It’s trade deadline frenzy time
Unlike the NHL, late swaps still offer drama in NFL
The biggest pro-sport tradedeadline swap of the decade has taken place, between leagues.
The NHL’s trade deadline — once chaotic, prolific and dramafilled for days and weeks beforehand with rumoured swaps, nuanced player demands, agent angling and team-raised trial balloons — has become somnolent and quiet in recent years.
The NFL’s, not so much.
The latter league’s 2018 trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. EDT.
There isn’t enough space here to list and analyze all the names of disgruntled, or unwanted, or wanted-elsewhere NFL players whose names have hit the buzz hopper. Remember how much fun that used to be, NHL fans? But that league’s salary cap, plus July 1 UFA frenzy, plus head-starting GMs have robbed hockey’s deadline day of much of its drama and newsworthiness.
The NFL’s used to be so quiet at this time that, in some years, literally nothing of note went down. Not one trade. That changed two years ago, and ramped up even more last year. In 2016, top deals saw New England send star LB Jamie Collins to Cleveland, Detroit ship LB Kyle Van Noy to New England and Detroit acquire CB Johnthan Banks from Tampa Bay, all for various draft picks.
Last year, these whoppers went down: QB Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco, WR Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo, DT Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville, OT Duane Brown to Seattle, RB Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia and CB Rashard Robinson to the New York Jets.
This year, the dealing has already begun. Last week saw three big trades, including WR Amari Cooper going from Oakland to Dallas. More trades are likely.
Among the highest-profile names bandied about are New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, whose impressive 15-season run as starter is approaching an unfortunate, ugly end.
However, Manning reiterated Sunday he won’t waive the notrade clause in his contract.
Similarly, both QB Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders (via ESPN) in recent days have shot down the idea of Carr winding up elsewhere.
Here are just some of the players who, per the pure-speculation and legit-news wires, could be moved:
❚ Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay. It was hoped he’d turned the corner on his turnover-machine past. Instead, after serving his threegame suspension for the sexual groping of a cab driver, Winston is worse than ever. Ten interceptions and three fumbles in just 3.5 games before being benched Sunday. The Bucs pretty much have to decide now if the 2015 No. 1 overall pick is worth keeping through next season, because that’s when he’s due to be paid $20.9 million on the already-committed, team-option, fifth year of his rookie contract. What a mess.
❚ DeSean Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay. He reportedly has actually asked to be traded, perhaps because he’s tired of chasing errant Winston throws, or because he hates playing fourth fiddle to WR Mike Evans, TE O.J. Howard and WR Chris God- win. New England, Houston, Jacksonville, Philadelphia and Seattle are all non-NFC South playoff contenders who could use a receiver of Jackson’s speed and talent.
❚ Landon Collins, S, N.Y. Giants. Apparently many teams have inquired with the Giants to see if they’d be willing to part with their most desirable remaining defensive asset. Not likely. The two-time Pro Bowl selection and 2016 all-pro is only 24, in the last year of the rookie contract that pays him only $1.3 million this year. Wherever he finishes the season he’s gonna get paid, big time, by someone come March. The Giants could get a pretty pick, or picks, in exchange.
❚ Patrick Peterson, CB, Cardinals. At 2-6 and with a rookie QB, Arizona isn’t going anywhere any time soon. But what about Peterson? Sure, he withdrew last week’s trade demand, and the club has insisted it has no desire to part with one of the game’s best cover corners. But if the report from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports is true, that Arizona could get “substantially” more than a first-round pick for Peterson, it might be hard — and dumb — to say no.
❚ LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills. He’s 30 years old and in his 10th NFL season, with more mileage on him than your grampa’s faded old Buick. But he can still juke and burst like few backs in the league. And he’s just as effective as a receiver. He could help any playoff contender in need of another top-shelf offensive playmaker.